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DUMPED cabinet minister Simon Crean has signalled he could be prepared to cross the floor on superannuation changes, saying he will do "whatever I can" to stop any retrospective measures coming into place.

"The sooner they spell it out the better for all of us," Mr Crean told the Nine Network's Today program.

The Labor party elder, who was sacked by Ms Gillard from cabinet last month after calling for a leadership spill between her and Kevin Rudd, said he was open to "sustainable" changes to superannuation but would not back anything that raided contributions or earnings retrospectively.

Mr Crean said he had never threatened to cross the floor on an issue in his long parliamentary career, but did not categorically rule it out on superannuation.

“I have never threatened to cross the floor in my life and I am not starting now,” Mr Crean said.

Pressed further on if he was prepared to cross the floor on the important issue of superannuation Mr Crean said he was prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure the right balance on super.

"I am prepared to do whatever I can to make common sense prevail, certainty prevail and a belief back in people that in us they have a government that not only is committed to their superannuation, committed to growing it but committed to making it sustainable," he said.

"This has to be fought and it has to be fought on two fundamental grounds; one the test is, is it a retrospective application? If it is it needs to be rejected.

CreanSource:AFP

"Second do we need to make it more sustainable? Yes, but also on the basis that we continue to grow the adequacy of the superannuation pool."

Speculation has mounted that Labor plans to raid the superannuation contributions and earnings of wealthy Australians in order to help pay for some of its key policies like the Gonski education reforms and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Defence Minister, and a member of the budget razor gang, Stephen Smith today said people needed to calm down on the issue of superannuation.

"I think people should take a cold shower," Mr Smith told ABC radio.

Former Howard advisor, now Liberal Senator, Arthur Sinodinos defended the opposition's stance that they may not be able to wind back any changes to superannuation if elected on September 14.

He said it was the Coalition's jobs to criticise the flagged changes and they would oppose any move to raid superannuation.

"As an opposition we have an obligation to look critically at all measures," he told ABC radio.

Tony Abbott this morning again reaffirmed his commitment to make "no adverse changes" to superannuation in a Coalition's first term of government.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion on superannuation Mr Abbott said the message to the government was "hands off super".

"This is a complete breach of faith with the Australian people," the Opposition Leader said.

"It is a betrayal of trust and we know it is coming because Simon Crean … has warned us it is coming.

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